landbeastnovel Chapter 242 Re-entering the Dungeon
Chapter 242 Re-entering the Dungeon
Chapter 242 Re-entering the Dungeon
Ishtar's family residence, the pleasure district.
One of Orario's once most prosperous areas is now in ruins, with many buildings destroyed and reduced to a desolate wasteland.
The destructive power of the floor master, Amphispina, is beyond doubt. Its massive body easily smashes various buildings, and its unquenchable azure flames are even more astonishing.
As far as the eye could see, there was only a chaotic gray-yellow color.
The high-rise buildings no longer stood tall; they collapsed completely, turning into a huge burial mound made of broken precast concrete slabs, twisted door and window frames, and shattered furniture debris.
Cement and bricks were crushed into fine powder, mixed with glass shards and various fragments of objects, covering every inch of the ground.
The area was sparsely populated, with few people to be seen on the streets. Only members of the Ishtar Familia and prostitutes who could not leave remained in the area.
In Orario, although there are many adventurers and gods who think with their lower bodies, they can still distinguish between a full meal and a full stomach. They dare not come here to seek pleasure until they are sure that the floor master, Amphispina, will not appear again.
This situation makes it easier for certain people to operate covertly.
A man with effeminate features appeared on the pleasure street, a pleased smile on his lips, emanating a faint divine aura. He crossed the street and went straight into the heart of the Ishtar Familia.
"Who is it?"
The Amazon girl guarding the mansion immediately noticed the unusual figure that had suddenly appeared. She turned her head sharply, and her eyes reflected the face of the deity. She was immediately shocked, "You are? The chief god of the Ikeros Familia, identified by the guild as belonging to the dark faction!"
Ikeros's smile remained unchanged as his gaze passed over the Amazon girl and landed behind her.
A tall, stunningly beautiful figure appeared, exuding an amazing charm with every gesture, attracting everyone's attention. It was Ishtar.
The girl was completely unsuspecting of her own god.
"Lady Ishtar, this is the chief god of the Dark Faction. Please be careful. I'll fire a signal flare right away." The Amazon girl looked slightly nervous, unaware of how many more crazed thugs were lurking in the shadows.
"Need not!"
The instant their eyes met, a strange purple light flashed in Ishtar's eyes. "Forget what just happened, and get lost!"
"yes!"
The Amazonian girl left the place with a blank expression and glazed eyes, like a doll.
Led by Ishtar, Icelos swaggered into the heart of Ishtar's clan's territory, exclaiming, "How convenient! The allure of the goddess of beauty."
Are you mocking me?
Ishtar turned her head slightly, staring coldly at the other party. Her charm had no effect on the "Berserker," which she considered a great humiliation.
"No, no, I dare not." Ikelos waved his hands repeatedly in fright; the goddess's desire for control was truly terrifying.
Entering Ishtar's room, located high up in the building, and standing in front of the window, one can see the dilapidated Pleasure Quarter at a glance; it's practically a ruin.
Ishtar's face was so dark it was almost explosive.
"That's terrible," Ikeros said, a hint of amusement on his face.
It will take at least several years for Pleasure Street to regain its former glory, all because of a mysterious adventurer and a floor-lord monster.
It caught everyone off guard.
What's even more frustrating is that the Ishtar Familia couldn't swallow this insult. They mobilized all their members and their entire network, digging deep into Orario, but couldn't find a single soul in sight.
Ishtar was so angry she felt dizzy and disoriented.
The Ishtar Familia suffered heavy losses, indirectly affecting the dark factions within the man-made labyrinth.
Ikerlos came to the surface, mainly to check on the situation of the top female sponsor, as it concerned their sponsorship and could not be ignored.
"Ikelos, is there any information that can please me?" Ishtar suppressed her anger and glanced at the pleasure-seeking god.
Ikelos laughed and said, "I'm just an observer; I won't take any initiative to do anything."
"Hmph, you're the kind of person who always finds amusement." Ishtar took off the few clothes she had on.
After one night.
Drained and pale, Ikeros felt a dull ache in his lower back. "There's some information you might be interested in: Freya may be eyeing the nascent righteousness of the Astrea Familia—"
Ishtar sat on the sofa, her hair disheveled, her beautiful and alluring face still flushed. As she listened to Ikelos's story, she took a puff of her pipe, exhaling smoke. Afterwards, a cigarette felt like the best thing ever.
"The budding of justice—that's interesting." Ishtar's beautiful lips curled up slightly.
What Ikelos said was exactly what he and Sanatos had guessed before. They had plotted against the Astrea Familia, causing Roy to almost fall into the deep layers, and Ota to enter the artificial labyrinth and wreak havoc.
They had no evidence, but Icelos told Ishtar about this conjecture, and no evidence was needed.
For Ishtar, that was the truth!
The combination of jealousy towards Freya and anger over the destruction of Pleasure Quarter had rendered Ishtar unable to think calmly; she simply needed an outlet.
"Damn Freya!"
Ishtar was so angry that she smashed her pipe. There are no LV.7 adventurers in the world. What kind of bullshit berserker is this? It's probably Freya's conspiracy!
The person who knocked her unconscious that day must have been Ota.
Ishtar's eyes flashed with a cold light. "You messed with my pleasure district, so I'll play with your man!"
On the other side.
The expedition was about to begin. Roy filled his spatial ring with supplies, and with the blessing of the goddess Astraea, the group left the Star Garden.
With Roy, a top-notch blacksmith, repairing the remaining equipment for everyone, they were all armed to the teeth.
-
The impressive lineup and equipment attracted considerable attention, drawing envious glances wherever they went. The Astrea Familia was currently enjoying unparalleled success, with the addition of a super rookie and Roy's revealed forging skills—
Especially the matter of the Soma clan.
The Astrea Familia has proven that they are capable of supporting a powerful business family, as well as destroying it in an instant.
This deterrent power is no less than that of the elite clans.
Roy is a rising supernova, rapidly upgrading his skills. With world-class forging techniques and the leadership of his clan, he has transformed into a mighty eagle that blots out the sky, his wings now fully grown, inspiring both awe and fear.
The opinions of outsiders had no effect on Roy and the others.
Because it was a deep expedition, the team size increased to seven people, and the supplies they needed to carry were far greater than before. Even Roy's spatial ring was somewhat insufficient, and some of the supplies were packed in the large backpacks commonly used by supporters, which were carried by Lily.
Lily's petite frame allows her to easily carry a backpack several times larger than herself.
Thanks to the opponent's skill "Unsung Hero", when the equipment weight exceeds a certain level, you will receive attribute bonuses. The bonus value is proportional to the weight, which can be simply put as being able to carry a lot of luggage.
His role in the team is support, but he can be the commander who takes over from Roy in critical moments.
The group arrived at the square in front of the Tower of Babel.
Eina was already waiting there. "Everyone, please be careful, safety first!"
Eina's emerald green eyes swept over the members of the Astrea Familia. In recent days, she had done her best to teach Roy and the others what she had learned, and they had a very good relationship, like teacher and friend.
But apart from Ryu having experience fighting in the deep realm, the others are at best theoretical strategists.
Eina was very worried.
"With our leader here, we are invincible!"
"Eina looks so cute when she's worried. I'll come back and marry you after this battle!"
"Don't worry, we will definitely be back!"
Tiony, Tiona, Daphne, and Eina became close friends.
Ryu, Lily, and Cassandra also comforted Eina in their own ways, frantically planting flags.
Roy felt a sudden chill run down his spine; it felt like these people were setting a dangerous flag.
Finally, Eina looked at the magical boy, her clear eyes shimmering like water, "Mr. Roy, you must come back alive."
Roy nodded emphatically.
Under Eina's worried and tense gaze, Roy and his group entered the dungeon.
Walk through the corridor and arrive at the first floor.
A group of ferocious-looking goblins came towards her. Tiona wielded her large twin blades, the broad, sharp blades slicing through the air and easily slaying all the monsters.
Magic stone fragments fell to the ground.
Roy said, "According to the plan, we first need to quickly break through to the eighteenth floor of 'Maze Paradise.' We don't need to pick up magic stone fragments and common materials anymore, but we can collect rare materials. Later, when our equipment is damaged, I can use those materials to repair it."
"yes!"
The crowd responded.
Even though the upper and middle classes posed no threat to them, the group still acted strictly according to the established formation.
Roy and Tiona are in the vanguard, while Liu and Tione are at the rear of the team, clearing out the monsters in front and behind. Daphne is responsible for protecting Cassandra and Lily.
During the advance, Roy continuously gave instructions, adjusted everyone's positions, and warned of potential collapses in the middle layer.
Lily silently observed Roy's words and actions, absorbing his experience as a commander. The only thing that made her feel a little heartache was that magic stone fragments and ordinary materials were scattered all over the ground, which was all money.
However, the Astrea Familia was not short of money. They also learned about the idea that Roy had given Tsubaki Kobrand to make a net profit of 18 million Fali. They were stunned and dumbfounded. Their captain's ability to amass wealth was truly terrifying.
Earn enough for a small villa in no time.
The dungeon once again demonstrated its bullying nature; unable to subdue Roy and his group, the monsters on that floor turned their attention to other adventurers, resulting in a sharp decrease in the number of monsters appearing before Roy and his companions.
Goliath, the master of the seventeenth floor, had not yet been reborn and successfully entered the eighteenth floor.
"How relaxing!" The beautiful scenery of the maze park came into view, and Tiona held her head in her two little hands, showing a happy smile.
The same was true for the others; breaking through to the eighteenth floor for the first time was so easy that the monsters in the dungeon seemed to be consciously avoiding them.
In team battles, the overall combat effectiveness doubles with each additional member in the team, thanks to skillful coordination, rather than simply being one plus one.
The dungeon naturally wouldn't waste its energy on the upper levels for them, but there was a hint of provocation in it, as if to say, "Come on, you're on the big stage in the deep!"
"What should we do?"
Liu Tian looked at Roy with his blue eyes.
Roy pondered. They had originally planned to rest for a day on the eighteenth floor before continuing deeper, but the team's combat strength was unexpectedly strong, making it easier than they had imagined. Resting any longer would seem wasteful, given their limited supplies.
"Lily, how are you feeling?" Roy's gaze fell on the little girl.
Lily instinctively wanted to answer that it was no problem, but when she met Roy's calm gaze, she instantly calmed down and carefully assessed her condition: "My body is not injured, my physical strength is about 80%, and my mental strength is intact."
Roy nodded and said, "Let's continue forward and rest for another day on the twenty-eighth floor."
"yes!"
The group walked towards the large tree in the center of the eighteenth floor, where there was a passage leading to the nineteenth floor.
Roy also retrieved the Earth Demon Sword, which is a powerful weapon in the dungeon.
"Little Lily, I thought you'd try to be tough in front of the captain," Tiona said with a smile, lowering her voice.
"Lady Tiona, I am a mature adventurer and I will not act recklessly." Lily raised her chin.
Lily secretly breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that she had probably passed. She remembered what Lord Roy had said: a team is like a wooden bucket; how much water it can hold depends not on the longest plank, but on the shortest.
She was undoubtedly the only weak link in the team, so Roy only asked about her condition.
Although it's considered a "weak point," Lily is still a Level 2 adventurer, with a physique far superior to that of ordinary people.
"You are indeed an adventurer, but you seem quite immature to me," Tione laughed, puffing out his chest, his two large eyes practically bursting out.
Lily's eyes were clouded by a wheat-colored hue. She was both anxious and angry, and cried out in a tearful voice, "Lord Tione, quickly put away that wicked thing!"
Tiona looked down at herself and suddenly felt like she was going to vomit blood; she had been shot for no reason.
Hahahaha!
A cheerful sound rang out from the group.
Roy smiled slightly; Tione's area-of-effect attack had injured many members of the clan.
The elven girl, who usually didn't care about such things, glanced at it without leaving a trace, realizing that she was developing normally and wasn't as pathetic as Tiona.
In the blink of an eye, the group arrived at the entrance to the nineteenth floor.
Since it was an expedition, Ryu didn't leave the group to offer flowers to her former teammates. She glanced at the direction of the graves in the distance and silently prayed, "Ariseh, Kaguya, Laila—please bless us."
The eighteenth floor is like a dividing line; the monsters that appear after that level require at least a C-rank or higher stat for a LV.2 adventurer to fight alone.
There is even a risk of losing your life if you are not careful.
Roy and his group even encountered a dragon girl named "Vivel," a rare monster with a human upper body and a lower body resembling a snake.
Appearing in the middle layer area from the nineteenth to the twenty-fourth layer, it is a treasure trove; the materials it drops, whether scales or nails, can be sold for an astonishingly high price.
Especially the red gem on his forehead, known as "Vivel's Tears," is worth tens of millions of falies.
But obtaining the red gem is not easy.
The "Vivel" is the strongest type of dragon among monsters, and its combat ability is quite high.
Furthermore, once "Vivel" is killed, the red gem shatters. The gem must be taken while the opponent is still alive, and taking the gem will put the opponent into a berserk mode, doubling their combat power.
Therefore, this monster left behind a lot of records.
Numerous adventurers have perished in the pursuit of "Vivel's Tears."
"drink!"
Tiona wielded her large twin blades, cleaving "Vivel" in half at the waist. With her LV.4 power, virtually no mid-level monster could withstand her.
Moreover, she also possesses a top-tier weapon.
Tiona saw the magic stone of "Vevier" protruding from the wound. "Tiona, you idiot, you almost shattered Vivier's tears."
Tiona pouted as her older sister scolded her.
Expeditions cost money. In order to deal with various unexpected events, a large amount of supplies need to be purchased, and the family's assets are greatly reduced. They must earn it back during the expedition.
"Vivel's Tears" is undoubtedly the best choice; it is small, doesn't take up much space, and is highly valuable.
At Roy's command, Ryu's figure shot out like a golden afterimage, flashing past and instantly snatching the red gem from Vivier's forehead.
"roar!"
Viviel roared and entered a berserk state.
However, the gap between the two sides was too great. Liu swung the Elf Flowing Light Dragon Staff and struck Viviel's magic stone. His opponent's whole body stiffened and turned into ashes.
"Wow!"
The girls in the group gathered around the red gemstone, also known as the "Stone of Happiness," and couldn't help but exclaim in amazement. It was radiant and had the appearance of flowing rivers inside, comparable to the world's finest natural gemstones.
"Alright, stop looking. It will be worth at least two or three times more as material for the staff later." Roy put the red gem away.
"The commander's mind is full of money."
"No romance whatsoever!"
The girls in the group couldn't help but complain.
Roy scoffed, "What's the point of romance? Luckily, Liu is here for me. It's so heartwarming."
We arrived at the entrance to the twenty-fifth floor.
Roy said, "We need to be careful from now on!"
The crowd's expressions turned serious. From here onwards was the lower level, the three interconnected levels of the Water Maze.
Upon entering the Water City, you are greeted by a magnificent waterfall, its roar echoing through the air, while crystal peaks form valleys and cliffs.
Accompanied by spraying water like mist, the loud and high-pitched songs of mermaid monsters or singing birds pierce through the vast void, magically drawing people forward.
"wrong!"
The group hadn't gone far when Roy and Ryu, who had higher levels and attributes, were the first to notice the anomaly. Their ears twitched slightly, and they could hear a faint sound of wind breaking through the air.
Flash Swallow!
A few seconds later, a large number of tiny shadows appeared in the cave. Roy and Ryu exchanged a glance and realized at the same time that the monster was about to appear, and their expressions changed slightly.
Roy said, "Everyone, move over here!"
The group acted swiftly, responding to the call and arriving at Roy's side, ready for action. They were all about having fun and joking around, but they shouldn't joke about the dungeon.
"Dance together, spirits of the air, masters of light. I have made a pact with the guardian of the forest, and I pray that the song of the earth will envelop us!"
Protect us—I beg you to transform into a mighty forest wall to shield us—my name is Alf!
Dimension·Interruption!
Roy chanted rapidly, channeling his spiritual power to form a semi-circular barrier, a thin shield of light protecting everyone.
The others also noticed the numerous afterimages appearing in mid-air, and their expressions turned grim.
This Crimson Swallow monster appears in the "Water City," using the cliff surface inside the "Giant Waterfall" as its lair, and is described by adventurers as the "Invisible Monster."
The name comes from its astonishing speed.
If anyone dares to approach the waterfall, they will launch an attack from the air at a speed that can break through the magnificent waterfall, so fast that they cannot be seen with the naked eye.
They were even given the nickname "Flash," as they were the fastest monsters in the lower levels!
It is even more dangerous than the Blood Dragon.
It's not that Flash Swallow's ability is superior to Blood Dragon's, but rather that Flash Swallows appear in large numbers, launching a desperate attack at the cost of their lives.
They directly convert their lives into attacks, which is why their body collisions are so powerful. They fly swiftly and recklessly, solely to pierce through their enemies.
Adventurers at level 4 will be killed.
Bang!Bang!Bang!
A large number of Flash Swallows crashed into the barrier released by Roy, producing a dull impact sound. Their tiny bodies shattered as if they had exploded, and blood stained the light shield.
Tiony, Tiona, Daphne, Cassandra, and Lily couldn't help but swallow hard. Without the captain's barrier, things would have been much more troublesome.
It would be fine if only people at LV.4 or above were there.
Under the super-fast sprint of the Flash Swallow, even Liu, at LV.5, had no strength left to protect the others.
Roy is a true all-rounder, capable of handling roles such as frontline, defense, healer, mage, and commander. The girls looked at his strong back with eyes full of admiration.
Roy wasn't in a good mood; he was quite exhausted and glanced at the elven girl behind him.
Ryu immediately understood what Roy meant.
Synchronization Contract!
Roy combined Liu's ability and development abilities with his skills to gain the "Magician" development ability. A magic circle appeared under his feet, and the barrier's strength increased to another level. Roy immediately felt much more relaxed.
Flash Swallow's attacks are suicidal; as long as he can maintain the barrier, he can wear down his opponent.
Seven or eight minutes later, Flash Swallow's attack gradually subsided, and Roy dispelled the barrier magic.
When the group stepped out of the barrier, all they saw was a trail of blood and the remains of a Flash Swallow. Most expeditions would have to give up early if they encountered such a monster, but only they were able to continue.
"Let's go!" Roy's calm voice rang out.
"The commander is amazing!"
The girls in the group shouted excitedly, believing that no matter what difficulties they encountered, the boy would lead them to the end, until victory.
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